Qatar Airways to fly non-stop to Chicago

Doha, August 15, 2012

Qatar Airways, the national flag carrier, has expanded its US route network with the introduction of a daily non-stop passenger service from Doha to Chicago from April 10, 2013.

The route will be Qatar Airways' fourth US gateway, following daily operations to New York, Washington and Houston.

The carrier, which already operates twice-weekly cargo flights to Chicago O'Hare, will use its flagship long-haul Boeing 777-300 Extended Range passenger aircraft on the Doha - Chicago route with an approximate flying time of 15 hours.

Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker said: "As Qatar Airways continues its aggressive expansion, we are pleased to finally offer another gateway in the US, this time to the 'The Windy City' of Chicago, five years after we began operations to North America.”

"Chicago is a key route for business and leisure travelers alike, connecting them from destinations across India, Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific with a one-stop service via Doha to the Midwest.

"For the people of Chicago and the Midwest, we look forward to offering a great travel experience on the world's best airline to cities across our network with one-stop convenience through our Doha hub.

"Our onboard experience is distinct and provides an unparalleled commitment to service quality, reinforced by the recent accolade from Skytrax, naming Qatar Airways the world's best airline for the second consecutive year," added Al Baker.

Chicago has a population of nearly three million people, attracting millions of tourists and business travelers every year.

Chicago is home to a huge sports industry with well known teams - Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox - covering a variety of different sports attracting travelling fans from around the world.

Qatar Airways' Boeing 777-300ER aircraft operating on the Chicago route will feature 335 seats in a two-class configuration of 42 Business Class seats and 293 in Economy.

Over the next few months, Qatar Airways will launch services to a diverse portfolio of new routes, including Yangon, Myanmar (October 3); Maputo, Mozambique (October 31); and a date yet-to-be-announced to the Serbian capital Belgrade, the airline said in a statement. – TradeArabia News Service